Adding fat to your salad makes it healthier, new research reveals.
Tucking into a plate of lettuce and cucumber with a drizzle of oil could increase the absorption of eight nutrients that are linked to human health, a study found.
Such nutrients include vitamins A, E and K, which have previously been associated with cancer prevention and improved vision, the research adds.
Lead author Professor Wendy White from Iowa State University, said: ‘The best way to explain it would be to say that adding twice the amount of salad dressing leads to twice the nutrient absorption.’
Past research reveals adding fat to vegetables in the form of oil, nuts or cheese boosts the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients, such as lycopene, which is found in tomatoes, and beta-carotene, which is abundant in carrots.
